Yellowstone Supervolcano Has a Hidden Magma Cap—How Close Are We to an Eruption?
Yellowstone Caldera, the volcanic complex underneath Yellowstone National Park, is held at bay from eruption by a cap 3.8 meters underground.
Ryan Whalen
Ryan Whalen covers science and technology for The Debrief. He holds an MA in History and a Master of Library and Information Science with a certificate in Data Science. He can be contacted at ryan@thedebrief.org, and follow him on Twitter @mdntwvlf.
Curiosity Uncovers Evidence of Ancient Martian Carbon Cycle That May Have Sustained Life
NASA's Curiosity rover has found new evidence that Mars once had a working carbon cycle in its ancient past.
New ‘Spinning Universe’ Theory Could Explain a Decades-Old Cosmological Mystery
The entire universe may be rotating, like its individual parts do, potentially explaining the “Hubble tension,” which perplexes scientists.
“New and Intriguing” Mars Discoveries Made by NASA’s Perseverance Rover are “All We Had Hoped for and More”
Mars's Jezero Crater is offering scientists a treasure trove of intriguing new findings that may hide clues to the Martian past.
New Fungus-Based Building Material Heals Itself, Paving the Way Toward Self-Repairing Structures
A new Fungus and bacteria-based building material demonstrates a healing ability that could lead to self-repairing structures.
A Long-Dormant Supermassive Black Hole Has Awakened, and It’s Doing Something Extreme and Unusual
A supermassive black hole that scientists have nicknamed "Ansky" is now awake after a long dormant period, emitting powerful X-ray flares.
Scientists Have Discovered an Unknown Lifeform Deep Within the Earth
A new microbe category was discovered in Earth's Critical Zone, a sort of "skin" extending beneath the planet's surface.
James Webb Space Telescope Captures a Planet Being Consumed by Its Star for the First Time, with Unexpected Results
The James Webb Space Telescope's MIRI instrument has captured the final moments of a planet's existence, unexpectedly revealing that the object descended into its host star rather than being engulfed by it as it grew.
“This is Something We Did Not See Coming.” New Physics from Odd Shapes Predicts what Appears as Random Motion
Basic physics quickly gets messy in an irregular world, scientists discover in new research on the old problem of a ball rolling downhill.
Hidden Galaxies Could “Break All of our Current Models” of Galactic Evolution, Astronomers Say
Hidden galaxies offering a glimpse into the past could reveal previously unknown secrets of the universe, challenging current models.
Previously Unknown Ancient Human Lineage Discovered in Libyan Rock Shelter
Homo sapiens migrated out of Africa roughly 50,000 years ago, but scientists have now discovered that some chose to remain behind.
This Pharmaceutical Pollutant is Creating ‘Psycho Salmon,’ Causing Them to Display Concerning Behavior
A pharmaceutical pollutant, clobazam, is turning up in global waterways and altering the behavior of marine creatures.
Curious Grad Student Accidentally Discovers Shape-Changing Liquid That Bends the Laws of Thermodynamics
Bendng the laws of thermodynamics, University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers have discovered a surprising "shape-changing liquid."
Life on Titan? Scientists Are Rethinking Whether Alien Life Could Thrive on Saturn’s Mysterious Icy Moon
A new study challenges past optimism scientists have expressed about whether life could exist on Saturn's moon Titan.
Altar of the Storm God: Archaeologists Unearth New Evidence of an Ancient Mayan Tale of Conquest
An ancient Mayan altar in Tikal, a 2,400-year-old city in Guatemala, evidences a quasi-imperial control system before the Spanish arrival.
In the Search for Extraterrestrial Life, This Surprising Result May Bring us Closer to a Groundbreaking Discovery
"What if extraterrestrial life is not found?" international researchers ask, seeking to understand how negative results could aid future work.
A Chorus of Stars 2,700 Light-Years Away is “Singing,” and Scientists Are Listening
Stars 2,700 light years away are singing a song that researchers are listening to, uncovering stellar evolution.
New “Impossible” Material Leads Researchers to a Quantum Computing Breakthrough
An impossible quantum structure has now been fabricated, potentially leading the way to new developments in quantum computing.
Doomed Binary Star System to Produce Brilliant Explosion in the Distant Future
A binary star system about 150 light years from Earth, right on our cosmic doorstep, is on track to collide as a type 1a supernova.
Scientists Have Found Something on the Moon That Could Help Power Future Lunar Bases
A moon dust based solar cell developed by German scientists may be the answer to powering a human lunar base with local resources.
Life on Mars? Hardy Lichen Offers New Clues After Thriving in Simulated Martian Hellscape
Mars can host life, according to Polish researchers, after demonstrating lichen's survival under simulated Mars-like conditions.
Quantum Computing Breakthrough: Photon Router Transforms Microwave Qubits into Light Pulses
A quantum computer breakthrough was made by Harvard physicists with a photon router, a powerful optical interface for quantum networks.
CERN Charts a Path to Unlocking Deeper Mysteries of the Universe as Circular Collider Moves Closer to Reality
CERN has completed a feasibility assessment on a Future Circular Collider (FCC), a potential successor to the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
Physicists Are Decoding Mysterious Behavior of ‘Strange Metals’ Using Quantum Information
New findings are shedding light on the link between quantum entanglement and the anomalous behavior of strange metals.
A Revolutionary Brain Mitochondria Map May Help Explain Cognitive Decline
The first brain mitochondria map has been assembled by scientists in what could be the key to unraveling age-related brain disorders.
New Hypersonic Flight Simulations Just Revealed Something “Shocking” that Researchers Didn’t Expect
Hypersonic vehicles' complex interactions with gases in the air are revealed for the first time in a new 3D simulation.
New Copper Alloy Demonstrates Incredible Heat-Resistant Strength for Military and Industrial Uses
A nanostructured copper alloy, Cu-Ta-Li, could be a groundbreaking new high-temperature material for aerospace and industrial applications.
James Webb Space Telescope Reveals ‘Cosmic Tornado’ and Hidden Galaxy in Striking New Images
New James Webb Space Telescope captures a "cosmic tornado" with imagery of the dramatic outflow from a newly formed star.
Illicit Cannabis Products Contain Potentially Dangerous Fungal Toxins, New Research Reveals
New research out of Arizona State University reveals black-market cannabis products contain potentially dangerous levels of fungal toxins.
NASA’s Curiosity Rover Uncovers the Most Advanced Prebiotic Chemistry Yet on the Red Planet
NASA's Curiosity rover collected the largest organic compounds ever discovered on the Martian surface, with new hints of ancient life, after scientists analyzed the pulverized rock samples.
Shimmering Caves on Earth May Hold Clues to Finding Extraterrestrial Life on Planetary Moons
Fluorescent caves on Earth may hold the secrets to survival necessary for scientists to detect life elsewhere in the universe.
Ultrafast Laser Breakthrough Reveals Light’s Ability to Instantly Transform Properties of Matter
The effects of ultra-fast lasers that can change material states in attoseconds are finally understood, thanks to new Israeli research.
Mapping Ocean Floor Mysteries, NASA’s SWOT Satellite Unveils Earth’s Hidden Terrain Beneath the Waves
NASA and the French space agency CNES's SWOT satellite provides researchers with the tools to create the most accurate ocean maps yet.
Chinese Quantum Satellite Makes Groundbreaking Ultra-Secure Transmission with South Africa
The first quantum satellite link was established between the Chinese quantum microsatellite Jinan-1 and a South African university.
Ancient Genetic Discovery Challenges Single-Lineage Theory of Human Origins
New research has shown that modern humans descend from not one but two separate ancient human ancestral lineages.
NASA Successfully Launches EZIE Mission to Explore Earth’s Electrojets with Help from Citizen Scientists
NASA's Electrojet Zeeman Imaging Explorer mission launched March 14, to study Earth's Electrojets and improve space weather predictions.
Elusive Neutrinos Detected Deep Within the Ocean Could Provide Clues to Quantum Gravity
Neutrinos may be the key to quantum gravity, potentially leading to a unified theory combining quantum mechanics and general relativity.
First Data Release From Euclid Mission Hints at Dark Matter and Deep Field Discoveries to Come
The European Space Agency's (ESA) Euclid space telescope is set to release its first data, a preview of new deep field space observations.
Cosmic “Dirty Windows” Can Distort Our View Into the Universe. A New 3D Map Aims to Wipe Away the Problem
As astronomers peer through telescopes across the cosmos, dust clouds may distort the light from distant objects, altering observations.
8,000 Years Ago, Neolithic Europeans Crossed the Mediterranean to Settle in Africa According to New DNA Evidence
European Neolithic hunter-gatherer groups traveled the sea to make their home in Africa, according to a new archaeological discovery.
James Webb Space Telescope Snaps The First Images of an Exoplanet with Possible Life-Giving CO₂
New James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) images show the first carbon dioxide-containing planet discovered outside of Earth’s solar system.
Planetary Defence Spacecraft Captures New Images of Mysterious Martian Moon Deimos During Flyby
New images of the mysterious Martian moon Deimos were captured when the Hera mission activated its instruments past Earth for the first time.
NASA’s “Blue Ghost” Lunar Lander Captures New Close-Up Images of the Moon’s Surface
The first images of lunar lander engine thruster stirring up moon dust were captured during the successful Blue Ghost descent.
Breaking the Memory Code: New Research Reveals What Makes Human Consciousness Unique
The uniqueness of human consciousness is demonstrated in research proving the human brain stores memories differently than other species.
Scientists Reveal New Method of Harnessing “Hidden” Data to Track Earth Changes with Starlink Satellites
Repurposing existing satellite data to observe Earth's changes may open a floodgate of new climate and gravitational field data.
Newly Discovered Mass Extinction Refuge Reveals Ancient Secrets for Surviving Climate Catastrophes
An ancient mass extinction event left a long-hidden refuge, whose survivors repopulated the Earth much faster than previously believed.
This Primordial Galaxy’s Surprising Chemistry is Upending Our Thinking on Star Formation
Astronomers have found an unexpectedly bright and chemically complex galaxy from the first 300 million years of the universe's existence.
Astronomers Have Located the Source of Strange Long-Period Radio Pulses Coming from Deep Space
Strange radio pulses have been traced to their origin, a white dwarf and red dwarf binary pair, solving a cosmic radio mystery.
Most Powerful Ultrashort Electron Beam Ever Created Breaks Previous Power Records by a Factor of Five
The most powerful ultrashort electron beam ever created offers new possibilities for recreating cosmic conditions in laboratory environments.
Mysterious Filament Formation Revealed in First-Ever Images of Plasma Instability
A plasma instability has been photographed for the first time, showcasing electron beams forming spaghetti-like filaments.